Luggage



Jan. 17, 1967 PALMER ET AL N 3,298,47Q

LUGGAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17. 1966 INVENTORS Henry Frederick Palmer War/fer James Sinner Norman F e/ d BY a 71/ 114 ATTORNEYS Jan. 17,1967 F. PALMER ETAL 3,298,479

LUGGAGE Fil'ed Feb; 17. 1966 v a Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Henry Frederiek Pa/mer Waller James Sfaner N am an F e/ d BY WV 211.2284. ATTOKNfYS Jan. 1 7, 1967 H. F. PALMER ET AL 3,298,479

LUGGAGE Fil ed Feb. 17, 1966 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORJ; Henry Frederick Palmer Wa/fcr Jam es Stan er Norm an F e/d BY y ATTORNEKS United States Fatent G 3,298,479 LUGGAGE Henry Frederick Palmer, Epsom, Walter James Stoner,

Haywards Heath, and Norman Feld, Ewell, England,

assignors to Jay, Feld & Company Limited, London,

England, a British company Filed Feb. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 528,292 7 Qlaims. (Cl. 190-51) This invention relates to an article of luggage of the kind having a body and a lid portion and a partition located intermediate the body and lid portions to separate the contents of each portion and retain the contents in place.

An object of the invention is to provide an article of luggage of the kind set forth wherein the partition is free moving with respect to the body and lid portions and forms an extension of the wall surfaces thereof, and acts as a bracing or stiffening member to prevent distortion of the article under load.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article of luggage wherein the partition is provided with a peripheral channel and so constructed as to allow hinges, a handle and fastening means to be effectively mounted on the partition, and to prevent distortion of the article under load.

According to the invention there is provided an article of luggage of the kind set forth wherein the body and lid portions and partition are hinged together such as to move freely with respect to one another, said partition comprising a planar member formed with a peripheral channel on each surface, the outer wall of each channel constituting an extension of the wall surfaces of the body and lid portions and the channels being bridged by means such as to allow hinges, a handle and fastening means to be mounted on the outer wall and without substantial distortion of the article under load.

The article of luggage according to the invention is preferably, but not exclusively, produce-d from thermoplastics material e.g. polypropylene, by means of an injection moulding machine and process.

Thus, according to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of fabricating an article of luggage comprising the steps of producing by means of an injection moulding process, two plastics mouldings having a configuration such as to constitute the body and lid portions of the article, and producing a partition from a separate plastics moulding, said partition comprising a planar member surrounded by an outer wall spaced, on each surface of the planar member, from an inner wall to define a pair of channels bridged by means arranged to reinforce the partition to withstand loads applied in the plane of the surface and such as to all-ow hinges, a handle and fastening means to be fastened to the outer wall of the partition by means extending across the channels.

The constructional features of a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with particular reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an article of luggage having body, lid and partition members according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the luggage partly broken away to show the partition;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the luggage;

FIGURE 4 is an underneath plan view of the luggage;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the lines A-A of FIGURE 2 but with the lid member partly open;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken along the lines B-B of FIGURE 2;

- and known in the trade as executive bags or execumeans of an injection moulding process, from plastics material, preferably polypropylene. The partition 3 is formed as a separate plastics moulding and includes a frame portion 4 arranged to lie intermediate the body and lid portions 1, 2, of the luggage.

The luggage is provided with a pair of locking and securing devices 5, 6, mounted on the top edge of the frame 4 of the partition 3, the locking devices 5 preferably having a double-action locking mechanism, such that when a key or lock actuating member is turned to one position, the case is opened and the partition 3 retained in co-operating engagement with one portion eg the body portion 1, whilst actuation of the locking mechanism to a second position causes the partition 3 to be freed from engagement from said one portion and locked in engagement with the other portion of the case. In this manner, the two portions of the case can be unlocked and the contents inserted or withdrawn separately from either compartment, without any possibility of the contents becoming displaced.

Alternatively, as shown, the luggage is provided with securing means 5, 6, with two separate locks on each of the body and lid portions 1, 2; the fastening means for coupling the securing means to the partition being shown at 5a, 6a.

A pair of doubleacting hinges 7 are rivetted or otherwise secured to the base portions of the body 1 and lid 2 and the frame 4 of the partition 3; one of the hinges being shown in FIGURE 4 with holes 8 for the rivets or like fastening members 8a of the remaining hinge (not shown). Slots for the fastening means 5a of the lock 5 are shown at 9 in FIGURE 3.

A handle 10 is mounted on the frame 4 of the partition 3 by means of rivets or like fastening members 11 passing through holes 12 in the frame 4. It will be seen that the fastening members 11 pass through the frame 4 and extend across a channel formed in the partition 3 as will be hereinafter described.

As previously indicated, the partition is multipurpose in function serving to separate the two halves of the case thereby rendering both halves completely self-contained, and also providing means for bracing the two halves of the case and preventingdistortion thereof under load. For this purpose, the partition 3 comprises a planar member 3a surrounded by the peripheral frame 4 and having on each surface, a channel 13, 14, formed between the outer wall or frame 4 and inner walls 15 and 16 respectively.

The channels 13, 14, receive and accommodate the edges of the lid and body portions, when the case is closed, as shown for the body portion 1 in FIGURE 5. With such a construction, the partition 3 acts as a bracing or stiffening member to prevent twisting or distortion of the body and lid portions when loads are applied to the case.

, It will be appreciated that the presence of the channels 13, 14, whilst providing a construction of partition able to withstand applied loads without substantial distortion, and whilst necessary to accommodate the body and lid portions of the case, provides a weakness at the very points or places where strength is particularly required to withstand loads applied to the case in the place of the planar member 3a, i.e. at the points where the handle, locks and hinges are applied. Furthermore, it is preferable to locate the planar member 3a symmetrically with respect to the peripheral wall or frame 4.

Thus, in order to reinforce the partition 3 in the region of the channels 13, 14, and particularly where the handle 10, hinges 7 and locking means 5, 6, are to be attached, the partition 3 is provided with bridging members 17 at each point where a rivet or similar fastening member is used to secure the hinges, locks and handle to the partition.

Additional bridging members 18 are spaced at intervals around the partition and within the channel and act as spacing or reinforcing members. Where the body, lid and partition members are formed of plastics material, the bridging members 17, 18 are moulded integrally with the partition member 3.

Thus, as shown in the drawings, a bridging member 17, is provided for each rivet or fastening member 5a, 6a, of the locking or securing devices 5, 6, respectively, for each rivet or fastening member 8a of the hinges 7 and for each rivet or fastening member 11 of handle 10. Each bridging member 17 constitutes a boss within which the respective rivet or fastening member is located to span the channels 13, 14. Referring to the fastening or securing means 11 for handle 10, the ends of the fastening means 11, remote from the peripheral wall 4 of partition 3, are located within recesses 19 formed in the partition 3 during the moulding operation. Similar recesses 20 are formed in the planar member 3a of partition 3 to accommodate the fastening means 8a of hinges 7, and recesses 21 accommodate the ends of the fastening means 5a, 6a, for the locking and securing devices 5, 6, respectively, together with partof the locking and securing devices.

It will be appreciated that where a recess e.g. 21 is formed in the planar member 3a during a moulding operation, a corresponding protuberance e.g. 22 is formed on the opposite surface of the planar sheet.

A pair of feet 23 are preferably provided on the base of body and lid portions 1, 2, to allow the case to be supported in the upright position shown in FIGURE 2. Where the case is formed from plastics material, the feet are moulded integrally with the body and lid portions and suitably shaped to accommodate the hinges 7 as shown in FIGURE 4.

It will be seen that the channelled and planar construction of the partition 3 allows the partition to resist any applied stresses which might distort the body and lid portions and allows the body and lid portions to form a substantially flush fit with the peripheral wall 4 of the partition 3. With the handle attached to the outer wall 4 of the partition, the weight of the contents of the case cannot effect distortion of the body or lid portions of the case or the frame of the partition, since, because of the continuous expanse of the material of the planar surface 3a of partition 3, the load is applied at a point capable of withstanding the maximum amount of stress without effecting distortion or fracture. The bridging members 17 provide reinforcement of the channelled portion of the partition and enable hinges, locking means and a handle to be attached to the peripheral wall 4 of the partition by means of fastening means extending across the channel to the inner walls 15, 16, thereby avoiding the distortion of the partition 3 if such hinges, locks and the handle were secured to the outer peripheral wall only.

Such a construction allows the planar member to be located centrally and symmetrically with respect to the peripheral wall 4, thereby providing the maximum rigidity and enabling the fastening members for the hinges, locks and handle to be centrally located with respect to the peripheral wall of the partition.

Furthermore, the particular construction shown with recesses and corresponding protuberances moulded integrally with the partition allows the rivets or like fastening members to be shrouded or invisible on at least one planar surface of the partition.

We claim:

1. An article of luggage having a body and a lid portion and a partition located intermediate the body and lid portions, said body and lid portion and partition being hinged together to move freely with respect to one another, said partition comprising a planar member, a peripheral channel on each surface of the planar member, an outer wall of each channel constituting an extension of the wall surfaces of the body and lid portions and means bridging each channel to allow hinges, a handle and fastening means to be mounted on the said outer wall and without substantial distortion of the article under load.

2. A method of fabricating an article of luggage having a body and a lid portion and a partition arranged to be located intermediate the body and lid portions including the steps of producing by means of an injection moulding process, two plastics mouldings having configurations such as to constitute the body and lid portions of the article, producing by means of a separate moulding operation, the said partition having a planar surface formed with a peripheral channel on each surface, and moulding integrally with said partition means bridging the channels to reinforce the partition to withstand loads and to accommodate securing means for the hinges, fastening means and a handle of the said article.

3. A method of fabricating and assembling an article of luggage having a body and a lid portion and a partition arranged to be located intermediate the body and lid portions including the steps of producing by means of an injection moulding process, two plastics mouldings having configurations such as to constitute the body and lid portions of the article, producing by means of a separate moulding operation a planar member constituting the partition having a peripheral outer wall spaced, on each surface of the member, from an inner wall to define a peripheral channel on each surface moulded integrally with the said member and having means bridging each channel, assembling the body, lid and partition such that the outer wall of the latter forms a continuation of the wall surfaces of the body and lid portions, and applying hinges, fastening means and a handle to said outer wall of the partition by securing means passing through said bridging means.

4. An article of luggage having a body and a lid portion and a partition located intermediate the body and lid portions, said body and lid portions and partition being hinged together to move freely with respect to one another, said partition comprising a planar member surrounded symmetrically by an outer wall spaced, on each surface of the planar member, from an inner wall to define a pair of channels to accommodate the edges of the body and lid portions, the outer wall constituting an extension of the wall surfaces of the body and lid portions and said planar member being located symmetrically with respect to said outer wall, and means bridging each channel to allow hinges, a handle and fastening means to be mounted on and secured to the outer wall by securing means aligned with the symmetrically located planar member.

5. An article of luggage according to claim 1 in which the bridging means comprise bosses within which securing means for securing the hinges, fastening means and a handle to the partition are located to extend across the channels.

6. An article of luggage as claimed in claim 4 in which the bridging means extend on each surface, from the outer wall of the partition to the inner wall, apertures for the hinges, fastening means and the handle being formed centrally in the inner and outer walls of the channels and securing means for said hinges, handle and fastening means passing through said central apertures and bridging means which reinforce the channelled portions of the partition and allow the planar member to be symmetrically located with respect to the channels and the securing means to be aligned with the planar member.

7. An article of luggage according to claim 6 in which the planar member is formed with depressions adjacent the apertures in the inner Walls of the channels to accommodate the ends of the securing means and allow the planar member to be symmetrically located with respect to the channels and the securing means to be aligned with the planar member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 28,036 4/1860 Dunham 190-50 2,458,233 1/1949 Wemyss 190-49 X FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE HAVING A BODY AND A LID PORTION AND A PARTITION LOCATED INTERMEDIATE THE BODY AND LID PORTIONS, SAID BODY AND LID PORTION AND PARTITION BEING HINGED TOGETHER TO MOVE FREELY WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID PARTITION COMPRISING A PLANAR MEMBER, A PERIPHERAL CHANNEL ON EACH SURFACE OF THE PLANAR MEMBER, AN OUTER WALL OF EACH CHANNEL CONSTITUTING AN EXTENSION OF THE WALL SURFACES OF THE BODY AND LID PORTIONS AND MEANS BRIDGING EACH CHANNEL TO ALLOW HINGES, A HANDLE AND FASTENING MEANS TO BE MOUNTED ON THE SAID OUTER WALL AND WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL DISTORTION OF THE ARTICLE UNDER LOAD. 